Pipe-wrench.



W. G. KNAPP & O. E. WILOOX.

PIPE WRENCH.

APPLIOA'TION FILED MAR. 10, 1913.

Patented May 12, 1914.

INVENTORS,

THEIR ATTORNEY ET @FFIQE.

WILLIAM G. KNAIPP, 0F ALHAMBRA, AND CHARLES E. WILCOX, OF BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA.

PIPE-WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Application filed March 10, 1913. Serial No. 753,415.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, lVILLmM G. Knarr and CHARLES E. lVILoox, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Alhambra, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, and at Bakersfield, in the county of Kern and State of California, have jointly invented new and useful Improvements in Pipe-\Vrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pipe wrenches, and more particularly to heavy wrenches for manipulating pipe used on well drilling or boring strings, and the invention has for its object to provide improvements in pipe wrenches Which will be superior in point of relative simplicity and inexpensiveness, durability, positiveness of operation, facility of adjustment, and adaptability to varying conditions of use and service, and which will be generally superior in efliciency and serviceability.

With the above and other objects in view; the invention consists in the novel and useful formation, construction, provision, combination, association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as hereinafter described, shown in the drawing and finally pointed out in claims.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a fragmeir tary side elevation of a pipe wrench constructed and organized in accordance with the invention, the same being shown as applied to a sectional fragment of the pipe as during the use of the wrench; and, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same taken on a line of vision at right angles to the showing in Fig. 1.

Corresponding parts in both the figures are designated. by the same reference characters.

Referring with particularity to the drawing, the improved pipe wrench shown there in as one form of embodiment of the invention, comprises a handle member A and a flexible pipe gripping member B adjustably applied to the handle member, and adapted to encircle, and by proper manipulation of the handle member to constrict and grip the pipe 16.

C designates adjusting means for bringing and maintaining the flexible member into such proper working relation as varying sizes of pipe and other conditions may require, and comprises the co-acting por tions (Z and a with which the respective members A and B are provided. The handle member A is also provided with abutmonts F and (l at opposite sides thereof, confining the flexible member B and serving to receive in part the strain imposed in the use of the wrench.

In the particular form and eon'lbination of parts and fcatin'es shown in the drawing, the handle member A is shown as provided with an end grip portion a. acting as a lever arm in the use of the wrench, and with a l'nfnrcated portion h at the opposite end which engages and co-acts with a suitably formed terminal 2 of the flexible member B, so that the terminal 2 is held in place by the work; the abntments are disposed between the adjusting means C and the por tions it.

The flexible member B is preferably a divided chain whose parallel parts 6 and c are each built up of a plurality of links and 6, each comprising separate sheet metal, parts 5 and 6 in flat facial engagement, over-lapping at their ends where such ends are coupled by a rivet or the like 7. A number of spacer tubes 8 are provided at intervals between the parallel parts of the chain, such parallel parts lying at the respective sides of the member A, these rivets 7 being lengthened at these points so as to pass through both parts 7) and o of the chain and the spacer tubes 8. One object in having the chain thus divided and spaced is to allow its parts b and 0 to pass one on each side of the handle memher A and between the abutmcnts F and G for a portion of its length. The end of each part b and c of the chain terminating at the adjusting means C is bifurcated by the divergence of the link parts 6 and 6 alternately to right and left, as at f and 0, bolts 11 and 12 passing through the ends of these diverging links f and g, uniting the several links of each fur-cation as well as both parts I) and c of the chain. These bolts 11 and 12 for that part 13 of their length which is exposed between the parts 7) and c of the chain, co-act with a series of notches 15 provided in each edge of the handle member A, permitting adjustment of the chain to the length required to properly encircle the pipe 16, shown in position to be ripped, such notches and bolts constituting the co-acting portions (l and e of the adjusting means G. ashers 20 are placed in alternation with the link parts 6 when required to fill spaces by the rivets T Atthe terminal 2 of the flexible member B, one of the spacer tubes 8 is provided between the portions 5 and 0 of the chain, the links, spacer tube and the two parts of the chain all being suitably united by other rivets 7*. This terminal spacer tube is straddled by the bifurcated end (Z of the member A and is engaged by the proper one of the furcations, acting as a fulcrum when the lever is brought into action during the use of the wrench.

In applying the wrench to its work, the chain may be slung around the pipe in either direction according to whether the pipe couplings, etc., are to be tightened or loosened, this reversibility being provided for in. the structure of the wrench, as both edges of the links 5 and 6 are curved as at 17, so that either side of the chain will snugly embrace the pipe, the handle also being adapted to co-act with the chain in either of its positions; as with one direction of movement the abutments F at both sides of the lever and the furcation 19 are brought to bear upon the chain to tighten it; while with the chain reversed and movement of the lever arm a in the opposite direction, the abutments G at both sides of the lever and the furcation 18 are employed to tighten the chain.

It frequently happens during the use of large wrenches that conditions render it difficult or troublesome to turn the entire wrench around when it is desired to reverse the direction of rotation of the pipe, and it is on such occasions that the aforementioned reversible feature of this wrench may be used to great advantage.

It will be understood that when the wrench is adjusted by placing the parts 13 of the bolts 11 and 12 in the proper notches 15, and the terminal spacer tube 8 is straddled by the portion h of the member A, movement of the lever arm about the axis of the pipe in the direction indicated by the curved arrow in Fig. 1 will tend to tighten the chain about the pipe, due to pressure applied at the terminal spacer tube by the furcation 18 and at that portion of the chain which is pressed upon by the abutment G, causing the chain to grip proportionately to the power applied, thus insuring the turning of the pipe. When the lever arm a is moved in the opposite direction, with the parts as shown in Fig. 1, the chain is slightly slackened allowing the lever arm a, together with the chain, to be moved to secure a new hold on the work.

A spring 22 at the end portion of each chain member I) and c where the link portiofnsti are spread apart to form the links f and g connected in couples by the bolts 11 and 12, serves to retain the bolts in the notches 15, each of such springs being coiled centrally about the respective end of one link f or g and extended at its ends to bear inwardly upon the said links.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A wrench'of the character disclosed, comprising a handle member, and a flexible wm'k-encircling member comprising spaced parts extended at the respective sides of the handle member, means connecting said spaced parts at and with one end of the handle member, and adjusting means likewise connecting said spaced parts with the handle member.

2. A. wrench of the character disclosed, comprising a handle member, and a flexible work-encircling member comprising spaced parts extended at the respective sides of the handle member, means connecting said spaced parts at and with one end of the handle member, and adjusting means likewise connecting said spaced parts with the handle member; said handle member being provided at each side with spaced abutments in connection with which said flexible member parts are engaged, with one at a time at each side of the handle member, under predetermined movement of the handle member in applying the wrench to the work.

3. A wrench of the character disclosed, comprising a handle member, and a flexible work-encircling member comprising spaced parts extended at the respective sides of the handle member, means connecting said spaced parts at and with one end of the handle member, and adjusting means likewise connecting said spaced parts with the handle member; said adjusting means comprising divergent portions of each part of said flexible member, and means connecting said divergent portions in pairs and formed to enter notches upon the handle member to hold the flexible member in positions of adjustment.

1. A wrench of the character disclosed, comprising a handle member, a flexible work-encircling member connected at one end with the handle member, and adjusting means whereby the other end of the flexible member may be shifted along the handle member and held in position of adjustment; said adjusting means comprising divergent portions of the flexible member, and means upon said divergent portions co-acting with means upon the handle member to hold such end of the flexible member in position of adjustment.

5. A wrench of the character disclosed, comprising a handle member, a flexible work-encircling member connected at one end with the handle member, and adjusting means whereby the other end of the flexible member may be shifted along the handle member and held in position of adjustment; said adjusting means comprising divergent portions of the flexible member, and means upon said divergent portions coacting with means upon the handle member to hold such end of the flexible member in position of adjustment, and. a spring acting upon said. divergent flexible member portions and urging the same into engagement with the handle member.

6. A wrench of the character disclosed, comprising a handle member, a flexible work-encircling member comprising two parts at the respective sides of the handle member, each of such parts comprising a plurality of serially connected links, said flexible member portions being connected together in spaced relation at spaced points, said flexible member being connected at one end with one end of the handle member, and means adjustably connecting the flexible member at the other end with the handle member; the handle member being provided with abutments between the ends of the flexible member and engaged thereby in applying the wrench to the work.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\Vitnesses V. J. COBB,

.ALFRED H DAICI-l Len.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

